Downton Abbey Episode 04.04
Episode 04.04 is the fourth episode of the fourth season of the UK-US produced series, Downton Abbey. The episode was written by Julian Fellows and directed by Catherine Morshead. The episode focuses on the aftermath of Anna Smith Bates getting raped by an evil valet during the recently completed house party, and the situation which concerns her husband, John Bates. This episode marks the final appearance of MyAnna Buring as the scheming Edna Braithwaite as she leaves the abbey after her scheme to seduce Tom Branson into marriage is revealed and is shown to be a failure. PLOT A despondent Anna comes back to the abbey the morning after her being raped at the hands of evil Alex Green (Nigel Harman). Besides Anna, who is still rattled at the sight of Green, Elsie Hughes doesn't like him, and she has a suspicion that he had something to do with what had happened to Anna. Tom gets some comforting words of advice from the Dutchess of Yeovil (Joanna David) as she understands what it is like to get through a death. She tells him when her husband died, she felt that she was an awful mess, but, she tells him gently, she got through it and so will he. Meanwhile, the conniving Edna confronts Tom with wanting him to marry her, since she thinks she is pregnant. Tom questions her contentions, and she insists that he marry her, stating quite arrogantly, that "if you were good enough for Lady Sybil Crawley, then you are good enough for me!" Tom snaps at her, "Don't speak her name!" Alfred Nugent finds himself more and more drawn into the kitchen and enjoys the activity. He discovers that this is where he feels he belongs. Ivy Stuart is learning to make a new dish, first one she was entrusted to. It turns out to be a success. Later on, Alfred learns about a course at the Ritz in London. He endures the scoffing of Jimmy Kent as he still makes fun of his ambitions. Mrs. Beryl Patmore, the cook, sharply scolds Jimmy for insulting Alfred's dreams and desires. In the previous episode, she praises Alfred's making of the sauces for the dinner. The next day, Mary, Tom and Rose go to London, Mary and Tom are meeting with the tax people to talk about the death duties which Downton has to deal with in the wake of Matthew's death. Lady Rosamund Painswick allows them to stay with her at her Belgrave Square house. She also sets up a party and dinner. She invited Sir John Bullock and Anthony Foyle, Lord Gillingham, to come to the house as well. During a dance, Bullock is sick, and he bolts out of the room. A young man named Jack Ross, an Anglo-african band leader, rescues Rose. At that point, the party breaks up and leaves the venue to go back to Belgrave Square. Mary then insists Tom tell someone about what happened, and why he was so upset since the house party. Tom, taking the advice of Mary, goes and tells Mrs. Hughes what happened. She tells him that it is partly his fault, but it was not completely his fault, when he says it is. She then confronts Edna for what she tried to do to Tom. Edna is stunned when Mrs. Hughes announces that she is not pregnant, but that after she had snared Tom, she would have found someone and gotten pregnant by that person. She would have forced Tom to raise a baby that wasn't his in the first place. She also bought a book by infamous author Marie Stopes. Mrs. Hughes then tells Edna that in order to prove that she wasn't pregnant, the doctor would have come in to check and to see if that happened, she would have her clothes ripped off. She then threatens Edna with no reference and no job unless she keeps quiet. A furious Edna storms out of the sitting room. On the backstairs, she confronts Thomas Barrow by telling him that he is sly, oily and smug and because of that, nobody likes him. He retaliated by telling her that she was a manipulative little witch whose schemes came to nothing and that he was delighted by it. Thomas then taunts her, "Are you leaving Downton?" Edna snaps, "What's it to you?" It is clear that he has a scheme in mind. Not long after, Edna storms out of the abbey, giving her notice, citing family problems. She is never seen again. He puts up the name of a new lady's maid who would be revealed to be Phyllis Baxter. The next day, Tom, who is feeling a lot better, joins Mary on a tour of the estate, while realizing that Edna was no longer an issue, and he could relax once again. Category:Downton Abbey episodes